BAILEY SUGGESTS SIMPLER APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT

"We need to legalize work in the state of Missouri," State Treasurer Wendell Bailey declared several times Thursday in remarks to the Rotary Club in Cape Girardeau.

"There are so many areas of Missouri law that make it more difficult to work than not to work," he observed.

Bailey suggested that common sense is often being sacrificed in state government for bureaucratic confusion.

As one example, Bailey criticized the state prevailing wage law, which requires government construction projects to pay wages determined in Jefferson City. Although governmental entities can take the low bid on material, they cannot take the best bid on labor for construction projects, he said.

"The people in Jefferson City tell you how much to pay to put a new roof on the county courthouse," said Bailey.

He pointed out that the law prevents prisoners from painting the inside of their own cells at the Farmington prison, and instead union painters must be paid $18 an hour.

"Who else would do this but government?" asked Bailey.

He added that Missouri has 15,000 inmates in its state prison system, yet only 885 go to work each day. Bailey suggested that Missouri take the approach of Colorado where prisoners are required to work, and a portion of their wages are applied toward room and board.

"We don't have enough money for education in this state and we're spending $183 million a year on room and board for prisoners," complained Bailey.

Bailey is completing his second term as state treasurer in 1992, and the state constitution prohibits him from seeking another term. He is instead seeking the Republican nomination for governor.

In his remarks Thursday, Bailey focused on his duties as treasurer and made some observations on how he felt government could work better.

On the issue of workers compensation, where rates are skyrocketing to the point of jeopardizing the financial stability of many businesses, Bailey noted. "Far too often in Missouri when a working person gets hurt three get paid - the worker and two lawyers.

"Workers comp was never designed to be a lawyer's play thing."

Bailey was also critical of the 2nd injury fund, which he noted has grown during the tenure of Bill Webster as attorney general. He explained that last year the 2nd injury fund paid out $31 million, up from $6 million just six years ago.

Of that $31 million, Bailey noted that $9 million went to attorneys.

As state treasurer, Bailey said he put state deposits up for bid for the first time and cut the state's annual bank charges from $3 million to $988,000.

He noted that there was also $12 million in state funds not drawing interest.

Things are different now, contended Bailey.

"Every dollar in the state treasury is invested every day," he declared.

Bailey pointed out that there are 169 difference boards, funds and taxes that generate revenue in the state and that as of Thursday morning the state treasury had $1.313 billion in it.

Because his office makes overnight deposits, Bailey said the disbursement float is invested, which means the state's average investment of funds is 108 percent.

That is the highest amount invested of any state in the nation, he noted.

Another program Bailey said has worked well is the MOBUCKS program. Under this program the state treasurer deposits money in local banks at 3 percent under the treasury bill rate so that the bank can make low interest loans to companies to help provide jobs.

Bailey said he will provide $25,000 for each job that would be provided.

"If you will bring in 40 jobs we'll deposit $1 million in your bank for you to borrow," said Bailey.

"The best social program we have in this state is jobs."